Arlington, VA - Rustico

On my recent trip to the Washington, DC area, I spent a few nights with my sister and brother-in-law in Arlington, VA.  They wanted to take me to Rustico, a recent discovery, with a remarkable draft beer list.  I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed when we got there and I saw the inscription on their front window: “Farm Driven Cooking, Hearth Fired Pizzas, Way Too Many Beers”.

Could you resist?

Rusico has stylistic décor, an eclectic menu and yes, plenty of beer choices.  I was thrilled that they classify their 40 plus draft crafts in interesting categories including Crisp, Hop, Malt, Cask, Roast, and Fruit & Spice.  It made it easier to choose an interesting selection of tasters.  Both my sister and I chose four tasters each allowing us to sample 8 beers that night.  My brother-in-law did not sway from his favorite style of beer, and chose a Schloss Eggenberg Naturtrub lager.  What fun beer! They were all distinctively different and enjoyable.  The only exception was the Heavy Seas Below Decks, a Cabernet barrel-aged ale that I think could have remained below deck.  The Goose Island Matilda and the Founders Dirty Bastard were my two faves of the night.  

Such pretty beer!

As I said the menu is eclectic, and that is for sure.  They featured some of my brother-in-laws favorite food in unusual preparations including deep fried deviled eggs and crispy stuffed dates.  He also ordered the special of the night, the pork schnitzel.  My sister and I got adventurous and shared one of the hearth fired pizzas with pumpkin, rock shrimp, caramelized onions and pecorino cheese toppings.  The crust was excellent although although the combination of toppings a bit unusual, it was still enjoyable and an excellent choice with the beer.

Memorable food at Rusico.

Since the reservation was not made well in advance, only the 5:45 pm time slot was available.  Within a half hour after our arrival every table was filled with happy diners, and the festive environment and excellent service added to our enjoyment.  Our trip to Rustico was a fun and I recommend you check it out if you’re ever in the neighborhood.